While home with the pellet man I was able to get some cooking done - so I have two yummy recipes to share!
Tonight I'm making Minestrone Soup (source: Elodia Rigante's Italian Immigrant Cooking) and am very excited about it. The recipe calls for a half pound of pancetta - which I am not using... it's just too fattening. If you're in the mood to splurge though, you should add it with the veggies... I'll bet it's fabulous!I put on some music and cut up my veggies. I bagged them so when I get home from teaching private lessons tonight I just have to cook it up - no prep work! Yay! This is an organizational tip I can share with you. Prep in advance. Devote some time on the weekend and cut up and
measure everything you'll need that week. Then when your busy work week comes around, you just have to grab the appropriate bag. It helps you have a delicious home cooked meal every night. And if you're like me - and plan leftovers down to the mouthful - you'll be cutting time and money! So anyway... I went from a pile of lovely veggies (top) to this (bottom). Here's what's in the soup...
1 cup diced onion
1/8 cup minced garlic
1/8 cup olive oil (seems like a lot - but it's spread out over many servings!)
1 cup chopped cabbage
1 cup cut green beans
1 cup diced zucchini
3 large potatoes, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 cups chopped tomatoes with their juice
8 cups chicken stock (I use broth because it's in lower fat)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon sage
1 tablespoon fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 cup precooked (canned) red kidney beans
1/2 pound small pasta
1/2 pound pancetta (optional)
salt and pepper
1/8 cup minced garlic
1/8 cup olive oil (seems like a lot - but it's spread out over many servings!)
1 cup chopped cabbage
1 cup cut green beans
1 cup diced zucchini
3 large potatoes, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 cups chopped tomatoes with their juice
8 cups chicken stock (I use broth because it's in lower fat)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon sage
1 tablespoon fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 cup precooked (canned) red kidney beans
1/2 pound small pasta
1/2 pound pancetta (optional)
salt and pepper
Heat the oil and add the onion and garlic. Cook until translucent.
Add the rest of the veggies and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the broth, water, sage, basil, parsley. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes. (If you don't like the parsley in the soup, you can give the soup the parsley flavor by tying the parsley sprigs and cooking - then discard after the soup's done.)
Add the beans and pasta and cook another 10 minutes.
To go with this I tried a Weight Watchers recipe for cheddar sage scones. When you think "scone" you think "sweet" but these are not. Savory - perfect to have with soup!
Add the rest of the veggies and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the broth, water, sage, basil, parsley. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes. (If you don't like the parsley in the soup, you can give the soup the parsley flavor by tying the parsley sprigs and cooking - then discard after the soup's done.)
Add the beans and pasta and cook another 10 minutes.
To go with this I tried a Weight Watchers recipe for cheddar sage scones. When you think "scone" you think "sweet" but these are not. Savory - perfect to have with soup!1 and 2/3 cup AP flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/8 teaspoon red pepper
3 and 1/2 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup low fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
cooking spray
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/8 teaspoon red pepper
3 and 1/2 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup low fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
cooking spray
Preheat oven to 400.
Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, sage and red pepper in a mixer. (Or large bowl). Add the butter and pulse the mixer until mixture is a coarse meal. (Or use two knives).
Stir in cheese. Add milk and egg and stir until just moist - don't overstir!
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 3 or 4 times until incorporated.
Put on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Pat into a circle until about 7 inches in diameter. Cut into 8 wedges but do not cut all the way through the dough.
Bake for about 17-19 minutes or until golden brown and delicious! Cut through the dough to seperate wedges and let cool on a wire cooling rack.
The resulting meal is wonderful! Enjoy!
I'm glad I had to stay home with the pellet man. Maybe I should just quit my job and cook all day! This life suits me! (Just kidding...)
Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, sage and red pepper in a mixer. (Or large bowl). Add the butter and pulse the mixer until mixture is a coarse meal. (Or use two knives).
Stir in cheese. Add milk and egg and stir until just moist - don't overstir!
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 3 or 4 times until incorporated.
Put on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Pat into a circle until about 7 inches in diameter. Cut into 8 wedges but do not cut all the way through the dough.
Bake for about 17-19 minutes or until golden brown and delicious! Cut through the dough to seperate wedges and let cool on a wire cooling rack.
The resulting meal is wonderful! Enjoy!
I'm glad I had to stay home with the pellet man. Maybe I should just quit my job and cook all day! This life suits me! (Just kidding...)
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